Impact of Ownership Structure on Earnings Management: Evidence from Pakistani Banking Sector

This study aims to find out the impact of ownership structure on firm s’ earning management. Ownership structure is divided into two categories: ownership concentration and ownership mix. Banking sector of Pakistan was chosen for this study and 20 banks were selected. Study period was 2000-2012. Data was collected related to ownership concentration and ownership mix variables. Results showed that independent variables including major shareholders, directors, government and financial institutions negatively affect earnings management of banks. Ownership by local, foreign investors/companies and associated organizations’ ownership positively affects earning management of banks. Keywords: Ownership concentration, ownership mix, earning managemen

Exploring Disposition Effect and Overconfidence in Pakistani Investors in KSE Listed Sectors

Financial markets are analyzed by using different models in whichinvestors are “rational”. Many traditional theories of varying nature and applicationhave existed and been developed over the past several decades. Investors are thoughtof as rational individuals, who carefully take all economic decisions every time.But irregularities were noticed in the behavior of investors when economy of theworld was shaken by the Financial Crisis of 2008 that started off in the USA andresulted in global recession. The news of international financial crisis affectstheir investment strategies and help to estimate the shock absorbing abilities ofcapital market. This arise the need to study this phenomenon in capital market ofPakistan and check what heuristics are used by investors in decision making. Investorsuse heuristics in their financial decisions whenever they are faced with uncertainsituation. For this study we have collected data of ten years (2005-2014) of 229companies listed in all sectors of Karachi stock exchange. We used Logit regressionto find the relationship between disposition effect and overconfidence of investorsin Pakistani stock market. We have found that disposition effect is used by Pakistaniinvestors in their financial decision making and it helps them to generate returns.Overconfidence has negative but significant effect on investment returns for theinvestors. So theory of EMH and CAPM does not hold with all its assumptions in Pakistanicapital market.Keywords: Heuristics, Behavior, overconfidence, disposition effect,EMH, CAP

Gestational diabetes mellitus, Vitamin D status and fetomaternal outcome

Background: Diabetes is the most common medical complication of pregnancy. Vitamin D deficiency which was initially considered only to influence bone metabolism, is now known to exert a wide spectrum of extra-skeletal effects. Vitamin D deficiency is closely associated with gestational diabetes mellitus, it also leads to adverse maternal and child outcome. Objective of this study was to compare the vitamin D levels in healthy pregnant women and women with gestational diabetes mellitus and to observe the feto-maternal outcome.Methods: This prospective study was carried out on 160 pregnant women between the age group 20-40 years attending the Obstetrics and Gynaecology department of JNMC, AMU, Aligarh from October 2016 to October 2018. Women were divided into group A- normal pregnant women and group B- women with GDM. Estimation of vitamin D was done in both the groups.Results: Mean vitamin D levels were lower in women with GDM as compared to normal pregnant women.Conclusions: Women with vitamin D deficiency have an increased risk of developing GDM and adverse feto maternal outcome as compared to those who had normal level of vitamin

PHYSICO-CHEMICAL STANDARDIZATION OF A UNANI ANALGESIC FORMULATION HABB-E-SURANJAN

Habb-e-Suranjaan is an important compound preparation which is used for a centuries in Unani system of medicine as an effective analgesic for all types of Waj-al-Mafasil (Arthritics). The drug is known for its pharmacological actions such as Mushile-Balgham (Phlegmagogue), Mushile-Safra (Cholagogue), Mushile-Sauda (Melanagogue), Mohallile-Waram (Anti-inflammatory), Musakkin-e-Alam (Analgesic), Dafae Niqris (Anti-gout) Muqawwi-e asaab (Nervine tonic) Munawwim (Hypnotic/Soporific), Musaffi-e-Dam (Blood Purifier). Ingredients of Habb-e-Suranjaan play very effective role in management of different types of Waj-al-Mafasil.  In this article, standardized value of a specimen of Habb-e Suranjaan assessed on physico-chemical and analytical parameters viz Macroscopic and microscopic features, extractive values, moisture contents, Ash values, loss of weight on drying, pH of 1 % and 10 % solution, TLC and  Fluorescence analysis are provided. The moisture content and the ash value were found within the recommended normal range. The value of different hot extracts (Petroleum ether, Methanol, chloroform and Aqueous) is more than the cold extracts of drug. Keywords-  Habb-e-Suranjaan, Waj-al-Mafasil, Analgesic

PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS OF GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX DISEASE (GERD) IN ADULT KASHMIRI POPULATION

Objective: The study was conducted with the objective of studying the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and to study various factors associated with it in adult Kashmiri population.Methods: It was a community based prospective cross-sectional observational study conducted by the Department of Medicine and Gastroenterology, GMC Srinagar over a period of 24 mo upon native Kashmiris from urban as well as rural areas as a study group. A total of 2600 subjects above the age of 18 y were studied and the overall prevalence of disease was calculated and also the associated (risk) factors were looked for.Results: The overall prevalence of 20.3% was seen in the study population with female gender being more prone to the development of disease (p<0.001). Other factors of greater significance included body mass index (BMI), smoking, physical activity, intake of spicy foods, posture after meals, dinner to sleep time, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) intake and some underlying ailments like asthma and history of abdominal surgery.Conclusion: The overall prevalence of GERD in Kashmiri community is 20.3% with females being more prone with a definite role of factors like BMI, smoking, physical activity, posture after meals, dinner to sleep time interval, intake of spicy foods, drugs and also the co-morbidities

Utility of second trimester beta HCG levels in prediction of gestational hypertension: a prospective cohort study

Background: Gestational hypertension is a significant threat both to maternal and fetal health. However, it is still a distant dream to predict accurately its occurrence in early pregnancy. Objective was to find out if β HCG levels determined between 13 to 20 weeks of gestation can be used as a predictor for gestational hypertension.Methods: This prospective observational cohort study was conducted from August 2014 to January 2016. Serum β HCG levels were determined at 13 to 20 weeks of gestation of 190 normotensive pregnant women attending the antenatal clinics. They were followed for the development of gestational hypertension till 40 weeks of gestation or delivery.Results: Out of the total 190 women, 25 (13.1%) developed gestation hypertension. Of those who developed gestational hypertension, 22 (88%) were having β HCG levels >2 MOM (p2 MOM were 83.3, 96.9, 80.0 and 97.5 respectively (95% CI).Conclusions: Pregnant women with high Beta HCG levels in early pregnancy have significantly higher risk for development of gestational hypertension

Medicinal efficacy of Khar-e-Khasak Khurd (Tribulus terrestris Linn)

Khar-e-Khasak-khurd (Tribulus terrestris Linn.) commonly known as Gokharu, is used for a long time for treatment of various diseases. Considerable literature is available in Unani system of medicine regarding the medicinal properties of Khar-e-khasak-khurd (Tribulus terrestris Linn.). Its various parts contain a variety of chemical constituents which are pharmacologically active, such as Harmine, Chlorogenin, Tribuloside, Trigogenin. Whole plant and seeds are used as traditional herbal medicine and having properties such as diuretic, aphrodisiac, immunomodulatory, antidiabetic, absorption enhancing, hypolipidemic, cardiotonic, hepatoprotective, antiurolithic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antispasmodic, and antibacterial. In the present review, an attempt has been made to cover the major pharmacological actions as well therapeutic uses of Khar-e-khasak-khurd (Tribulus terrestris Linn.) mentioned in Unani system of medicine. Keyword: Tribulus terrestris Linn. Unani Medicine, Khar-e- Khasak Khurd, Pharmacological Actions

The combination of multi-approach studies to explore the potential therapeutic mechanisms of imidazole derivatives as an MCF-7 inhibitor in therapeutic strategies

Breast cancer covers a large area of research because of its prevalence and high frequency all over the world. This study is based on drug discovery against breast cancer from a series of imidazole derivatives. A 3D-QSAR and activity atlas model was developed by exploring the dataset computationally, using the machine learning process of Flare. The dataset of compounds was divided into active and inactive compounds according to their biological and structural similarity with the reference drug. The obtained PLS regression model provided an acceptable r2 = 0.81 and q2 = 0.51. Protein-ligand interactions of active molecules were shown by molecular docking against six potential targets, namely, TTK, HER2, GR, NUDT5, MTHFS, and NQO2. Then, toxicity risk parameters were evaluated for hit compounds. Finally, after all these screening processes, compound C10 was recognized as the best-hit compound. This study identified a new inhibitor C10 against cancer and provided evidence-based knowledge to discover more analogs

EFFICACY OF PIPER NIGRUM (BLACK PEPPER): A REVIEW

Abstract-  Considerable literature on medicinal uses of Black Pepper is available in the traditional system of medicine. Black Pepper has been used in many traditional particularly Unani system of medicine. In this review paper, the study of Black Pepper its medicinal uses along with pharmacological actions is being presented. The plant description, its chemical constituents and properties have also been included. The paper also demonstrate the geographical distribution of Black Pepper across the world. The analysis shows that Black Pepper could be used as an effective medicine for various ailments mainly gastro-intestinal disorders in both as single as well in compound formulations.Key Words- Black Pepper,  Filfil Siyah, Unani Medicine,Â